


Spark

by Akiko_Natsuko



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Accidents, Established Relationship, Explosions, Fire, M/M, Whumptober 2019, Worry, prompt: explosion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-16 05:49:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21031268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: Sometimes being fire-resistant is useful, especially around a certain, traumatised wizard.





	Spark

Molly was worried.

Not that you would have realised it by looking at him, as he was lounging against the bar, watching Beau and Nott who had become embroiled in a drinking contest that would apparently decide which of them was right. Looking at them, the only thing he thought that it was going to prove was that they could both drink far too much. On the other side of them Jester was asking for more milk, and sneakily adding tankards to Nott’s pile, blinking at him as she caught his stare, and he smirked and winked, before placing money on Beau winning before turning to scan the tavern. Fjord and Yasha were still sat in the booth they had claimed, drinking and chatting quietly, and he smiled, pleased to see his quiet friend opening up with the group before he paused as he caught a flash of ginger in her lap.

_Frumpkin._

It wasn’t rare to see her with the cat these days, as Caleb seemed more than happy to let Yasha hold and pet his familiar, but after today Molly had thought that the wizard would want the company himself. In fact, that had been the only reason why he had given in to Caleb’s pleas for him to watch over Nott, and to enjoy himself for once, as they had no pressing deadlines or destinations. He hadn’t wanted to. Caleb hadn’t lost himself after the fight that morning, but he had been quiet ever since, and Molly hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that there was something more than having to use the flames that had been bothering. But Caleb could be persuasive when he wanted to, and there had been something fragile in his expression that had stopped the Tiefling from pushing.

Now he was regretting it and he glanced towards the steps. Caleb was quite cat-like himself, on the rare occasions that he would allow himself to ask for company and contact, he could become the most demanding individual Molly had ever had the pleasure of knowing. But, if he wasn’t in the mood, or something was bothering him, then he would lash out, usually with sharp words and a disapproving stare. Today, Molly had a feeling that his interference wouldn’t be welcomed, at least not openly, and he worried at his bottom lip. The problem was, that Caleb still wasn’t good at asking for help even when he wanted it, even from him, and the thought of the wizard sitting in his room, waiting for him but not knowing how to ask was more than Molly could bear.

“I’ll be back in a little while,” he murmured in Jester’s ear as he passed, knowing better than to tell Beau or Nott in their current condition. She smiled knowingly at him and nodded, and he could feel Fjord and Yasha’s eyes on him as he headed for the stairs, and he waved his tail at them before he passed from view.

He debated his decision all the way to the door of the room they were sharing after Nott had been convinced to share with Jester this time, and he still hadn’t decided whether this was a good idea or not as he reached for the handle and let himself in. “Caleb?” He asked as he stepped inside, frowning at the empty bedroom. However, Caleb’s coat was carefully hung at the end of the bed so he couldn’t have gone far, and he glanced towards the door that leads through to a small bathroom that was all theirs. A rare treat, and a sign of how well things had been going for a while now. _Until this morning, _he thought with a sigh. “Caleb, it’s me!” He called, not wanting to startle the wizard when he came out, before moving across to where they had tossed their bags earlier and starting to unpack. They weren’t due to stay there for more than a day or two, but he liked making even a passing room feel like home, and he was slowly working on getting Caleb to do the same.

Although that was a slow process.

It was only when he moved to remove his swords, thinking that he might as well do his nightly ritual that he realised that there was still no sign of Caleb and that he still hadn’t heard anything from the bathroom, and his hand tensed against the hilt. It wasn’t unusual for the wizard not to respond, as sometimes he was so caught up in whatever magical problem, he was trying to solve that the rest of the world disappeared. But there was something about the quiet that had Molly uneasy, his tail twitching behind him as he sat back on his heels and stared at the door. “Caleb?” He called again, tilting his head as he strained to hear a response but there was nothing, and after a moment of debate, he pushed himself back to his feet and headed for the door. “Caleb, can you answer me?” He didn’t want to be too pushy, but the uneasiness was growing, and while he gave the door a perfunctory knock when there was still no noise from within, he didn’t wait for an answer before opening the door. “Caleb, what…”

He caught a fleeting glimpse of wild blue eyes and felt the tingle of magic against his skin before a bright spark flew towards him. _He wouldn’t! _But Molly was already moving, throwing himself back as he recognised the spell, already knowing that it wasn’t going to be enough. Then the spark exploded outwards, and flames erupted, filling the room and Molly flung his arms up, a last futile attempt to protect himself as he pressed himself into the far wall of the room. It burned even with his natural resistance to flames, and he howled, cursing and shouting for Caleb to stop it, his heart in his mouth as he thought about all the other people in the tavern as he saw the flames take hold. Forming a blazing barrier between him and Caleb.

Caleb who was still in the bathroom, seemingly frozen in place and through the flames, Molly could see that his hands were still up from casting the spell. Like he was defending himself. It gave the wildness that Molly had seen in his eyes a darker meaning and growled under his breath before forcing himself up. He was hurt, and desperately wanted to track down Jester for some healing, but that wasn’t an option with Caleb still trapped in here. “Caleb!” He called, hoping that the wizard had set his transmuter stone to fire resistance, or that he would at least make an effort to reach him, but if Caleb heard him over the crackle of the flames, it didn’t show.

_Moonweaver, protect me._

Taking a deep breath and praying that someone else would notice the smoke he plunged into the flames, making a beeline for the bathroom. It was hot, and the smoke was pressing in on him, making it harder to see Caleb now, and harder to breathe, and he pressed a hand to his mouth as he pressed onwards._ Get to Caleb._ The floor and walls were beginning to creak ominously around him, his clothes smouldering, and he had bitten through his bottom lip to stop himself from crying out.

He almost missed the bathroom door, his outstretched hands finding smouldering wood and he blinked to try and clear his vision before he found the doorway. The flames weren’t inside yet, but the air was thick with smoke. But Caleb was there. Caleb who didn’t react to his presence, until Molly reached out with burned hands to grasp his arms. “Caleb! CALEB LOOK AT ME!” There was no time to be gentle now, he could feel the heat of the flames against his back and they still had to get out of here. “CALEB!” Praying that the wizard would forgive him this he slapped him. Hard. For a terrifying second, he thought that it hadn’t worked, and then Caleb blinked.

“…Was?”

“Later,” Molly could see Caleb’s eyes moving beyond him to the flames spreading through their room, and then skittering towards his burnt and scorched form, and the realisation dawning in the blue depths. “There’s time for that later,” he added, repeating the words that had started everything, leaning in to kiss Caleb’s forehead before pulling back, moving to grab the wizard’s hands. “We need to go.”

“But…”

“Come on,” Molly cut him off, pulling insistently and there was a moment of resistance before Caleb followed him, pressing closer to him as they skirted around the worst of the flames, Molly eyeing the floor nervously and guiding the wizard around the area with the worst damage. It was as he pulled Caleb around another one, that he heard the wizard speak, the words almost lost in the crackling of the flames.

“I’m so sorry…”


End file.
